Tangaroa Blue in Western Australia say “If all we do is pick up rubbish, we will forever be picking up rubbish”
The best way to work on the reduction and prevention of ocean plastics is to analyse what is being regularly found on beach cleans. Different areas may have different issues depending on location and use. For example, is it developed or not, used by families, is the surrounding land mainly housing, agricultural or industrial etc? Can it be easily accessed and is it regularly cleaned by the authorities.
As CCA tend to clean the more remote and rocky beaches, We have noticed a lot of discarded fishing line, hooks, bait boxes and other things connected to beach fishing in our hauls. These present a very real and dangerous threat to pets (dogs often eat baited hooks and have to have receive specialist care to remove them) birds and marine creatures. Fishing line is strong and is very difficult to break ensnaring unsuspecting creatures and causing slow and painful deaths.
In response to this we have begun Project Hook, Line & sinker, which aims to raise awareness of the dangers associated with these items to wildlife, marine life, pets and people.
The campaign poster has been designed by Yasmine Funnell and Kaddy Balschus. It will be shared online and also physically put up in local businesses including fishing tackle shops and places with bait machines.
We also hope to get an article in a national sea fishing magazine and local Spanish and English press.
The project has been kindly supported by WOW (Women on Wednesdays) and the Kubatin Quiz group.